Page 41 of Pack: Posy 3

No!Ruby howled.

"Will love you my whole life, Leo Espen Halder. You and no other. You are mine, and I am yours."

And two arms went around my waist and squeezed me tightly. Heart thudding, I folded my arms around her shoulders and hugged her back.

"Poppy," I whispered into her hair and my voice cracked. "Please don't leave me."

"Never. I can't force you to believe me, Leo, but you will eventually." Her shoulders shrugged against my chest. "Then I can say I told you so. Win-win for me."

"I don't know." From somewhere, I found enough mischief to tease her. "It's kind of unfair to make announcements like that when you can see the future and I can't."

"Is it my fault that I'm perfect?" She pulled her head back enough to look at me, her liquid black eyes snapping.

"No, it's not and, yes, you are," I grinned down at her, feeling lighter than I had in a long, long time.

"Good boy!" She reached up and patted the top of my head with her uninjured hand.

With a playful growl, I picked her up by her waist so we were nose to nose.

"Oh, am I going to have fun kissing that sass out of you, little vixen," I murmured and stared into her dark eyes.

"Since I'm ninety percent sass, I think that will take a lot of kissing." Her lips curled into a smirk. "Decades and decades and decades."

"Oh, a hundred years at least," I whispered as I pressed my lips to hers.

11: Lost and Found and Lost

Cole

While we waited for Leo's new mate to wake up, we borrowed some clothes and shifted. Thank the Goddess Emerson was a big guy like me and Mase! Thoreau was tickled pink to loan his t-shirts and shorts to the witches, who had flown to the fight, and Angelo kitted out Wyatt, Jay, and Ash. We all held back our laughter when Ash sighed and looked down at where Angelo's pants ended just below his knees.

"Think of them as long shorts," I suggested with a snort.

He sneered and flipped me off.

Then we chowed down on pancakes, linked Posy, and caught up with everyone. We were all happy to see Thoreau adjusting well, even though there were several signs that he needed help beyond the love and care of his new family.

While I watched the boy chat excitedly with Wyatt about Arch and Wayne and dirt bikes, I linked Emerson and Angelo, telling them that we could look into a counselor or therapist for him. They said they already had a meeting set up with a shifter from the royal pack that owed Angelo a favor. I was glad, and I knew Posy also would be when I told her.

"We wanted to set Leo up to see him, too," Emerson said, then bit his lip as he looked at his mate.

"He's refusing so far." Angelo sighed and squeezed Emerson's shoulder. "He needs time. We'll keep our eye on him until we can convince him."

"Posy will talk to him, too," Jay said with a nod.

"She certainly has a weakness for the underdog, doesn't she?" Ariel murmured with a gentle smile. "It's admirable how she can be so caring after what she's endured."

"She's a badass bitch, all right." Ash puffed out his chest and beamed proudly.

"That's not the nicest way to say that your mate is a strong woman, Ash." Papa rolled his eyes at him.

"It shocked her the first time I said it," he admitted, "but I think she kind of likes it now, not thatshewould ever say a swear word."

After our late breakfast, we sent Zayden and Zayne to trace the dire wolves' trail back to where they crossed into Dark Woods and make sure there weren't any more surprises waiting across the border. Beatrix insisted on going along; since her mates and Angelo were fine with that, who were we to say no?

Then Sara and Ariel volunteered to fly back to the alpha house and bring some vehicles over for us to drive home. Maria, on the other hand, decided to stay in case Poppy woke up before they came back.

Once we were settled in the living room with cups of coffee, Mase asked if anyone had ever visited the Cold Moon pack.

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